Hobbit-appeal not universally appreciated.

Looking for a Sideshow collectible this morning, I was Googling "Bilbo Baggins bust" and ended up reading a snippet in a site called "the Frisky" that first raised my eyebrows then made me guffaw. The writer's remarks about the trilogy's hobbits perfectly illustrate how insensible some people are to the appeal of hobbits, including Frodo's. "We are seriously disturbed that beautiful, handsome, brogue-ish James McAvoy is going to have to pull on a pair of heinous Hobbit feet to play Bilbo Baggins. And those funny little ears. Eww." And the best for last, "Playing Frodo did nothing to up Elijah Wood’s sex appeal, we remind you."

When I think of all the steaming-hot erotica the film-hobbits inspired, slash and het, and the zeal with which it's been read, I have to shake my head -- and chuckle.

He's my first choice for Bilbo so far. I thought he was exceptional in the films I've seen him in, showing lots of emotional range and depth, plus wit and a "whimsical something" that would do well for Bilbo. But, contrary to the writer of the article, I think he'd be extra-appealing as a hobbit, but I'm partial to them. :)

An icon is made from their originality and heart. whether you are Dorothy (Judy Garland), Frodo (Elijah), or Luke Skywalker(Mark Hamill) you make your mark. Time will never change the perfection. All the actors in LOTRs made it work. I posted on LJ 2 years ago off the cuff after seeing "the Last King of Scotland" on HBO, that I thought James McAvoy would be the PERFECT Bilbo. I had no idea any others thought that. It kinda freaks me out even today that this thought was so widespread. He is Elijah/Frodo in many ways in their heredity and way more passionate as Bilbo was (and reckless). He is Bilbo perfect. There is no way he will do it I think. hugs you tight xoxoox v

You wrote, "there is no way he will do it". Are there reports on the messageboards saying it's out of the question that McAvoy could play Bilbo? That's too bad.

I only thought of him as Bilbo after his name had been presented as a possibility. Although I had thought "what a great hobbit he'd make!" while watching the Narnia movie in which he played the faun, Mr. Tumnus, I hadn't thought of him as Bilbo as such. But I think he's definitely got the emotional range to play Bilbo. He's got that dry wit and the British self-effacing, deferring sort of manner down well, but he's also great at playing deep emotion and thought, whether openly or under a layer of reserve. Yes, I think he'd do very well indeed. Too bad he's not going to do it!

OMG! If I was a straight builder and football fan, I'd most likely agree that Elijah doesn't look a tad more hot as Frodo. And also most likely I'd say this out of shameless jealousy and envy.In my opinion, Elijah looked the best he ever could as Frodo. It was his ideal appearance at that time and his pointy ears were not guiltless of this fact.

I thought he was his most appealing - as a person and as a male - as Frodo, too. And the ears were part of it, yes. Isn't it funny, how differently people respond, the range of what they find attractive? I guess it's a good thing or we'd all have to look like angel-hobbits - or body builders, or some other ideal in order to find a lover.

Me, too. EW worked every sort of magic on me as Frodo, but his erotic magic had its way with me only in that role. It was like, I don't know, a chemical reaction that exploded when a few drops of EW were added to a dish of Frodo. "Dishy little hobbit", indeed. :) The writer in an article quoted in Not Alone's latest episode of "A Journey With Frodo" wrongly but tellingly described him, "that cute elf-boy". This was published after Fellowship. The writer obviously was not a book reader and did not pay much attention to the plot points in the film, not realising hobbits are not elves, but he certainly made a more plausible elf-boy. He was, after all, more beautiful than any elf in the film, including the women.

Mine, either. But Ian Holm didn't look like the Bilbo of my imagination. Yet now I have difficulty reading The Lord of the Rings without hearing and seeing him as Bilbo. (We won't go into how different Elijah Wood was from the Frodo I imagined.... *g*)

Isn't that hilarious? When I think of all the salivating that was done over film-Frodo, the hearts that went pit-a-pat, the panties that became moist, my mind boggles at her comment. But I've been a visitor on LJ's of friends who love Boromir or Faramir or the other Man heroes, and I overhear similar comments. They don't say "hobbits are eww", but while they consider them "cute", they mean cute like children or puppies, and don't find any of them, including EW, sexually attractive. I guess I am so used to hanging out in a hobbit-loving corner of the fandom, I am surprised when I read something that shows it's not a universal attraction. :)